How to use the wheel spinner
Type or paste your entries into the Entries box, one per line or separated by commas. The wheel updates as you type. Then press Spin or click the wheel itself. It starts with a sample list of dinner ideas so you can try it right away.
- There is no limit on the number of entries. Copy a column from a spreadsheet and paste it: every line becomes a slice.
- Writing the same name on several lines creates several slices. To make one slice bigger instead, use a weight (see below).
- Add a title and it appears above the wheel, which helps when you share your screen or stream.
- When slices get too thin for text, labels are hidden automatically. While the wheel spins, the entry under the pointer is shown above it, and the winner is displayed in large type.
- Sound is off by default. Turn it on for a click on every slice and a short chime when the wheel stops.
Setting odds with weights
Add *number after an entry to give it more weight. With Pizza*3, Tacos and Sushi, the pizza slice is three times wider and wins 3 ÷ (3 + 1 + 1) = 60% of the time. Decimals work too, so Nothing*0.5 gives half the odds of a normal entry.
On this wheel, slice size always equals probability. There is deliberately no way to make a slice look bigger or smaller than its real odds. Open Show odds per entry to see the exact percentages.
*0 temporarily excludes an entry without deleting it. Weights are capped at 1000.
How the winner is chosen (fairness)
The moment you press Spin, the winning slice is drawn with your browser’s cryptographic random number generator (crypto.getRandomValues). Each slice wins with probability exactly proportional to its weight, and rejection sampling removes the tiny modulo bias that naive random code can have.
The spinning animation is then calculated to stop at a random point inside the chosen slice. The number of turns and the spin duration are random as well, so neither the starting position nor your timing can predict or influence the result. Everything runs locally in your browser and your entries are never uploaded.
No tool is fair if you keep spinning until you like the answer. When a group is deciding together, agree beforehand that the first spin counts and spin it on a screen everyone can see.
Remove the winner and spin again
Turn on Remove the winner before the next spin and the previous winner is taken off the wheel when you spin again. Use it to set a presentation order, draw prizes one at a time, or hand out roles so nobody is picked twice.
Removed entries are listed under the wheel and come back with Restore all; your original list in the Entries box is never changed. Every result is stored in History with a timestamp, so you can check the order later.
Saved lists, share links and fullscreen
Handy features for people who use the wheel again and again. None of them need an account.
- Saved lists: keep several named lists, such as a class roster, lunch spots or forfeits, and load them in one tap next time. They are stored in this browser only.
- Share link: the current list and title are compressed into a short link. Anyone who opens it gets the same wheel. It shares the list, not a result, so their spin is a new draw.
- Fullscreen: fills the screen with the wheel and the result, ideal for classroom projectors and live streams. In fullscreen you can spin with the Space or Enter key. Browsers without fullscreen support, such as Safari on iPhone, get a full-window view instead.
- Shuffle order: rearranges the slices around the wheel. It does not change anyone’s odds.
Ideas for using it
It is most useful when there are too many names to pick from by hand.
- Picking a restaurant, a movie or a weekend plan
- Choosing who presents next in class (paste the roster, turn on remove mode)
- Giveaways on a live stream with fullscreen and sound
- Rotating chores, meeting facilitators or on-call duty
- Party games, forfeits and friendly bets
FAQ
How many entries can the wheel hold?
There is no limit. Hundreds of entries work; when slices get thin, labels are hidden and the pointer entry and the winner are shown in large text. For very large giveaways or picking many winners at once, the giveaway picker is more convenient.
Can I make one entry more likely to win?
Yes. Add *number after it: Coffee*2 gets a slice twice as wide and twice the odds. Slice size and real probability are always the same.
Can timing my click change the result?
No. The winner is drawn with a cryptographic random number the instant you press Spin, and the number of turns and duration are random too. Neither your timing nor the wheel’s starting position affects the outcome.
The same entry won twice in a row. Is it broken?
Each spin is independent, so repeats happen. With five equal entries, the chance that the next spin repeats the last winner is 20%. To prevent repeats, turn on Remove the winner before the next spin.
Where are my saved lists stored?
Only in this browser’s local storage. Nothing is sent to a server. Clearing browser data removes them, and they do not sync between devices, so use a share link to move a list.
I can’t hear any sound.
Sound is off by default; press the Sound button to turn it on. On some phones, silent mode or zero volume also mutes web audio.